Real Leadership Qualities

This past week the Republicans started the first in a series of debates.  After the debate a focus group was held to get the opinions of people participating in the group.  They were asked what they liked or disliked about each candidate?  The one word that consistently came out was leadership and leadership qualities.  The people of this country are thirsting for real leadership.  The American people are looking for men and women who will say what they are going to do and do what they say.  Real leadership involves several key ingredients:

A Leadership Philosophy

A leader must lead with a clear vision, create a vivid picture of where to go, as well as a have a firm grasp on what success looks like and how to achieve it.  The leader must communicate clearly, passionately, honestly and often. 

A Set of Operating Principles

A good leader must have the discipline to work toward his or her vision single-mindedly, as well as to direct his or her actions and those of the team toward the goal. Action is the mark of a leader. A leader does not suffer “analysis paralysis” but is always doing something in pursuit of the vision, and inspiring others to do the same.

Integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and on the inside. Integrity is who you are even when no one is around. 

Dedication means spending whatever time or energy is necessary to accomplish the task at hand. A leader inspires dedication by example, doing whatever it takes to complete the next step toward the vision. By setting an excellent example, leaders can show followers that there are no nine-to-five jobs on the 9+ team, only opportunities to achieve something great, together.

Fairness means dealing with others consistently and justly. A leader must check all the facts and hear everyone out before passing judgment. A leader must avoid jumping to conclusions based on incomplete information. When people feel they that are being treated fairly, they are more apt to be loyal and dedicated employees.

Humility. Leaders with humility recognize that they are no better or worse than other members of the team. A humble leader tries to elevate everyone.

Openness means being able to listen to new ideas, even if they do not conform to the usual way of thinking. Openness builds mutual respect and trust between leaders and followers, and it also keeps the team well supplied with new ideas that can further its vision.

Acknowledging Contributions means giving credit where it is due. A magnanimous leader ensures that credit for successes is spread as widely as possible throughout the company. On the other hand, a good leader takes personal responsibility for failures.  My philosophy has always been my team will get the credit when we succeed and I will take the blame when we fail. 

A sense of humor is important to relieving tension as well as to bring calm to hostile situations.  Effective leaders know how to use humor to energize followers.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but just a few traits I believe are important in a leader.  As we move closer to the next Presidential election, what key traits are most important to you in a candidate?